San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-06-09
HON. @. W. JONES ON PROHIBITION,
[pastrop Adyertlser, MAy I'll

lBastrop Advertiser, May ~
The court house on Thursday was
crowded to its full capacity, with rep
resentative citizens from oil parts OF
the county, including a number Of
ladies, to hear Col. Jones speak on
the subject of prohibition. The Ad-
vertiser is only able to give o brief
synopsis Of tho Colonel's speech. 1t
is needless to say that the speech
was heard to throughout with marked
attention and tho speaker frequently
applauded. The Colonel began:
We have met for the purpose OF
discussing what is we'll known rs the
prohibition amendment to our state
constitution. The question, in its
nature and solution is non partisan.
It invokes sovereignty, superceding
party. The people, in tho capacity
of supreme power, as the Gar OF
Russia, in Ukase, net directly on
the subject, so that there is no need
or place for party, as means to as
certain and reflect the opinion OF the
voter. Every voter is put upon his
allegiance to country, to vote his own
Judgment, honestly formed, and who
ever seeks to influence his vote by
any kind of intimidation or by hope
of reward, is unmindful Of duty to
his country. We profess to love
honesty in pnblic men; the people
can never secure it until they love to
tolerate it. In the solution of this
great question, we should vote with
out hope of reward. Let us then
address ourselves directly to the ques-
tion;
The proposed amendment prohib-
it's the manufacture, sale and exchange
of intoxicating liquors, except for
medicinal, mechanical, sacramental
and scientific purposes, and the legis-
Ilature is charged with enactment OF
laws for carrying the amendment into
effect. The anti prohibitionists con-
tend that the amendment restricts
the citizen in his liberty. Govern
ment exists for the benefit OF the
people, and the citizen ought to be
restricted in so far as is essential to
the public welfare, for, whatever re-
suits in good to the public, benefits
oil, and no good citizen can complain
that he is denied privilege which,
If shared by all others, MS must be the
case in just, impartial government
impairs the public veal. No man
has a right to do wrong, and no man
can Justly complain that be is denied
privileges which experience demon
strates to be injurious to the public.
Not very long ago everybody gam
bled, nothing was thought OF it. That
is to say, it was not condemned as a
thing hurtful to society. 1t was ar
gued that every one ought to do as
he pleased with his own money, and
ought to be left to his own Judgment
and taste in spending it, leaving the
individual to take care OF himself.
But the evil became SO griovous to
the public that the government was
forced to interfere, and now, for more
than half century, we have been
trying by law, to repress the vice.
The pulpit and the preaching Of high
morality failed to protect society
against it's disastrous fruits. We
have not succeeded wholly rs the
good and virtuous desire, but no one
thinks of giving up the contest be-
cause the mere enactment OF laws
has failed to stop gambling.
Public schools are, comparatively,
of recent origin. But yesterday, as
it were, many of our ablest and best
political philosophers believed it
wisest and best to leave to the parent
the education of the child. But ex-
perience having taught that society
is deeply interested in the education
of the child, and experience having
demonstrated thut public schools are
the cheapest, the best and the snrest
means of securing the education OF
the child, government has taken
another step and thrown forward the
boundaries of its jurisdiction, SO as
to embrace public schools. Surely,
if the government may thus interfere,
directly and indirectly, with the re-
lations of parent and child, the gov
ernment ought, in matters more
seriously and vitality affecting all the
relations of life, TO have power and
exercise it, to protect society against
evils growing out of trade author
lied by government itself.
The pretense that prohibition takes
away any right Of the citizen, needs
but to be analysed to be exposed
The right 10 pursue any trade IN So
ciety. whatever it be, must needs be
subject 10 the political jurisdiction Of
the people within whose boundaries
Id IS pursued. And, IL experience
shows this or that measure to have
failed in prevention Of evil, wisdom
dictates that something else be sub
stituted. end in cassof failure, some
thing else should be tried. Aud If
all measures should fail 10 control N
proper bounds, then, as a last resort,
the government Is forced 10 demoiish
the trado itself This is the law Of
self preservation. the law Of neccs-
sity. and without il DO gOTemmeut
can exist